Steering and maneuvering of ships.



H. E. YARROW STEERING AND MANEUVERING 0F SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED 0 13, WW.

1,296,448. Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 7%2751 e zi 7Zaroki1 arrow HvE. YARROW.

STEERING ANDv MANIEUVERING OF SHIPS.

APPLICATION, FILED OCT-13,1917,

1 ,296,4;48. Patented Mar. 4;, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- HAROLD E. YARROW, or scoTs'roUiv, SCOTLAND.

STEERING AND MANEUVERING OF SHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

Application filed'October 13, 1917. Serial N 0. 196,436.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD EDGAR YAR- ROW, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Scotstoun, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to the Steering and Maneuvering of Ships, of which the following is a specification.

Devices are known for steeringv and maneuvering ships in which two rudders are provided, which may be operated independently or in unison. Under ordinary con ditions one rudder is held amidships, while the ship is steered by the other, but if a rapid change of course is required, both rudders can act together. It is much easier to keep a straight course with a small than with a large rudder area, while a large area must be provided for circumstances in which a powerful turning effort is necessarya It has also been proposed to provide means by which two or more rudder posts are linked or otherwise connected together, so that the rudders can be caused to turn through equal angles either in the same or opposite directions, for the purpose, in the latter case, of maintaining a straight course but reducing the speed of the ship.

According to the invention two rudders, or sets of rudders, may be placed at any suitable positions for steering and maneuvering the ship and operated from the same station, either independently or conjointly, so that all the rudders are moved through equal angles in the same or in opposite directions. The operating means are such that the rudder posts may be at any distance apart, and are not linked or otherwsie connected together.

In the accompanying drawings two examples are shown of means for operating the rudders according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows in plan an example of the disposition of the members controlling the rudders; Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the rudders acting in unison to turn the ship. In Fig; 3 the rudders are acting in opposition, so thatthe course is not altered, but the speed is rapidly reduced. Fig. 4 shows an example of hand control gear suitable for operating the rudders, in which the lever which actuates the rudders is controlled by shafting, according to the invention; and Fig. 5 is an example in which the power is controlled by fluid pressure.

Referring to Fig. 1, a hand wheel A is adapted to operate in well known manner a rudder post B disposed on the'port' side of the ship; 0 represents the means for transmitting the movements of the hand wheel A to a motor D; E is the gearing connecting the motor with the slides F linked to the head of the rudder post. Similar mechanismconnects the rudderpost B on the starboard side of the ship with the hand wheel A Under ordinary conditions one rudder only might be operated, while the other was maintained amidships and the comparatively small rudder area operated by the hand wheel would greatly facilitate the accurate maintainance of the required course. When greater power is required in order to turn the ship rapidly, both rudders are put over as shown in Fig. 2 to the same angle. If the ship is to be stopped, or its speed reduced, as quickly as possible, the rudders are put over as shown in Fig. 3 to act against each other.

Referring to Fig. 4:, a is a hand steering wheel controlling one rudder, or set of rudders, and a is a hand wheel controlling the remaining rudders. b and b are the respective spindles of the two wheels. is and 7c are shafting by which the motion of the steering wheels is conveyed to the respective steering engines. Z is a hand lever which is connected by a sleeve 0 with a gear box d driven from the spindle b, and in the position of the hand lever shown at l the box d is drawn to the left, so that projections on a clutch e engage in recesses It of a bevel wheel f which through bevel wheels 7 and 7* drives a wheel 7. The wheel f is keyed to the shaft 6 so that when the handle Z is in the position shown the hand wheel (1 turns in the opposite direction to the hand wheel a, and the rudder, or rudders, connected through the shafting 7c" and bevel wheels 7' 9' with the spindle 6 move in the opposite direction to the rudder or rudders connected through the shafting la and bevel wheels 9', j with the spindle b. The bevel wheels 7, f are carried on spindles n and n held in fixed position by a sleeve m. When the handle Z is in position 2, the clutch e is disengaged from the wheel f and a clutch e is not engaged with recesses h on the wheel f. In this position of the lever Z the hand wheel a moves independently of the hand wheel a, so that only one set of rudders is operated by the movement of a, and if it is desired to work the remaining rudders the hand wheel a must also be operated.

When the hand lever Z is in the position 3 the box at is moved to the right so that the clutch e engages with the wheel f which is keyed to the shaft Z), so that both wheels at and 0; move together in the same direction, and consequently all the rudders are controlled by the movement of a.

The above method is applicable to all the well known types of steering gear where the power-which actuates the rudders is controlled by means of shafting.

Fig. 5 shows an example in which the power "which actuates the rudders is controlled by fluid pressure, as for instance, in telemo'tor gear, and in which the two hand control wheels are connected respectively by means of fluid contained in pipes m, m and n, n with the gear for operating the two "rudder or sets of rudders.

The pipes m, m are connected with the pipes n, nthrough which two rudders, or two sets of rudders, are operated, by intermediate pipes 0, 0. The pipe 0 is divided into branches 7) and 9, connected respectively with the pipes n and n. The pipe 0 is divided into branches 0 connected respectively with the pipes at and n. Cocks a", r fitted with plugs s, s are controlled by levers 25, t connected with an arm u operated by a handle Q). When the plugs are in the positions shown the fluid pressure in the pipes 12, n is independent of the fluid pressure in the pipes m, m and the two sets of steering gear are quite independent. If the arrangement is such that both rudders or sets of rudders are moved in the same direction, when the pressure in m exceeds that in m and the pressure in n exceeds that in n, the rudders will be moved in opposite directions, when the levers t and t are moved to the left, since in this position the fluid in m is put into communication with the fluid in n and the fluid in m with that in a.

If the levers t and t are moved to the right, the two rudders or sets of rudders will move in the same direction, since in that position on is in communication with n and m with n. 7

Having now described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim 1. In a ship provided with two rudders, the combination with a hand operated member, of mechanism controlled thereby which in one'position allows the rudders to be operated independently, in a second position causes the rudders to be moved through equal angles in opposite direction and in a third position causes both rudders to be moved through equal angles in the same direction.

2. In a ship provided with two rudders of equal area disposed on either side of the fore and aft line of the ship, the combination with a hand operated member, of mechanism controlled thereby which in one position allows the rudders to be operated independently, in a second position causes the rudders to be moved through equal angles in opposite direction, and in a third position causes both rudders to be moved through equal angles in the same direction.

3. In a ship provided with two rudders and with steering engines for each rudder, in combination, a steering wheel for each rudder, shafting connecting said wheels with said steering engines, gearing for connecting said shafting, a lever which in one position allows each shafting to be operated independently, in a second position connects said shafting together by said gearing so that the rudders are moved through equal angles in the same direction, andin a third position connects said shafting together through said gearing so that each shafting is moved through equal angles in opposite directions.

4. In a ship provided with two rudders, in combination, a steering wheel 'for each rudder, shafting controlling, respectively the movements of each rudder, a spindle secured to one of the said wheels, a gear box rotated by said spindle, a sleeve secured to said box and adapted to slide on said spindle, a spindle secured to the second wheel, and gearing connected to said gear box by which in one position of said box the steering wheels can be operated independently, in another position of said box the actuationof the first mentioned steering wheel causes both spindles to rotate through equal angles in the same direction, and in a third position of said box the actuation of the first mentioned steering wheel causes said spindles to rotate through equal angles in opposite directions.

5. In a ship provided with two rudders; I

means for operating each rudder independently or for operating said rudders simultaneously through equal angles in the same direction or in opposite directions, said means including a steering wheel for each rudder, a spindle secured to each steering wheel, shafting operated by each spindle Wheels being respectively adapted, in opponame to this specification in the presence of site extreme positlons of said sleeve, altertWo subscribing witnesses.

natively to engage said gear box for rotation therewith; and said spindles, in an inter- HAROLD YARROW' 5 mediate position of said sleeve, being free Witnesses:

to move independently of each other. JOHN FERGUSON,

In testimony whereof I have signed my SILVESTER LITTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gomminioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

